


Diadem

by Mochas N Mayhem (KoohiiCafe)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-02
Updated: 2012-08-02
Packaged: 2017-11-11 08:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/476348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KoohiiCafe/pseuds/Mochas%20N%20Mayhem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Buffy's nose wrinkled as she eyed the clearly ancient box they'd spent all this time hunting down. It didn't look like anything special, other than the whole old and apparently sacred bit, judging by the altar it was set up on, but he'd been insistent that it was worth it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Diadem

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** Diadem  
>  **Author:** Koohii Cafe  
>  **Rating:** General Audiences  
>  **Crossover:** BtVS/Doctor Who  
>  **Disclaimer:** Since I am a poor chickadee with no wealth to speak of, I think it's safe to say that neither BtVS nor Doctor Who are mine. ^^;  
>  **Written for:** [TtH](http://www.tthfanfic.org/) [August Fic A Day Challenge](http://twistedshorts.livejournal.com/438159.html)  
>  **Summary:** _Buffy's nose wrinkled as she eyed the clearly ancient box they'd spent all this time hunting down. It didn't look like anything special, other than the whole old and apparently sacred bit, judging by the altar it was set up on, but he'd been insistent that it was worth it._

Buffy's nose wrinkled as she eyed the clearly ancient box they'd spent all this time hunting down. It didn't look like anything special, other than the whole old and apparently sacred bit, judging by the altar it was set up on, but he'd been insistent that it was worth it. He'd even convinced her to use her new shoes as a distraction, rigging them up with his usual crazy, impossible, and oh so MacGyver flair to lead the band of demons guarding the shrine on a merry chase while they snuck in. She _still_ had no idea how he'd managed to make the shoes run by themselves, but their clacking had made very distinct- and very heartbreaking- sounds as they ran away with the demons in pursuit.

"I sacrificed a perfectly good pair of Prada heels for some kind of freaky alien _sex toy_? I mean, I'm all for having a good time, but- Prada!"

" What?! A- a what?! No, no, of course not! I would never! Where did you even-"

"You said it was some crazy-old dental dam," the blond pouted in response, arms crossing over her chest. The Doctor gave her as frustrated a groan as she'd ever heard from him, one hand running down his face.

"No, I said it's a _diadem_! You and your refusal to actually _listen_ to what I say!" The hand reversed direction as he gave a big huff, raising up and ruffling his already nearly vertical hair even farther up, pointing wildly in all directions as he regained his composure. Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"If you'd speak plain English more often, we wouldn't have a problem! And I wouldn't be left thinking I'd sacrificed Prada for sex toys!"

"Oi, you're one to talk!" he cried back swiftly, giving her an accusing look. "You and those friends of yours are possibly the worst butchers of the English language I've ever met! And I've met a lot of people, Buffy, so what does that say?"

"It says you have absolutely no taste in words," she answered easily, grinning a bit in spite of it all. The Doctor just groaned again, waving her off and practically handing her the victory before switching topics.

"Anyway, it's a _diadem_ \- and a very special one at that." His own grin was back now too, his excitement at their find practically palpable as his sonic appeared in hand, buzzing quickly at the box. The slayer grimaced at the sound, but found she was almost as curious as the Doctor was excited. She didn't have a clue what a diadem was- some kind of ancient diamond, maybe?- but-

"Whatever's in that box _better_ be worth it," she grumbled, but she'd already uncrossed her arms from her pout, leaning forward when the box made a soft little ' _pop!_ ' sound and his nimble fingers shut off the screwdriver. The full force of his exhilaration hit her like a brick wall when he turned his grin in her direction for a moment, and it was catching. Staying pouty or disinterested was beyond futile in the face of it, so she gave up, and didn't even try. Instead, she let her grin nudge up a bit, waiting for his explanation.

"Oh yes." He paused, dark eyes locking with hers for a longer than usual moment, considering the situation. "You especially will love it, Buffy. It's-" There was another pause when those skinny fingers of his latched onto the top of the box, trying to tug it off and reveal the treasure within, but it didn't seem to want to budge. His brows furrowed together and he let go to buzz the screwdriver at it briefly, then try again, gently. When that didn't work, she could see him put a little of that alien strength of his into it, which she knew from experience was far stronger than he looked- he was kind of like her, that way- but it still didn't come up. Buffy arched one slim golden brow at him when his now perplexed face turned to her.

"You were saying?" she asked drolly. He huffed, hand again ruffling his dark, wild locks as he eyed the box with a confused expression.

"It's not deadlocked, or the sonic screwdriver wouldn't've have worked but-" Again, the Doctor paused, this time to point the screwdriver at the box, adjust a few settings, and buzz it again. And again. And then a third time, and- "A _ha_! Buffy!" The screwdriver disappeared into his pocket, his grin once again overtaking him, and he grabbed her hands, moving them physically onto the top of the box. "You try, it might like you better."

"Why would it-" But she tried anyway, half heartedly, because if he couldn't budge it with his strength, then she-

Except, the top popped off feather light, which meant it went flying at even half her strength. The Doctor ducked as the ancient metal lid whizzed through the space his head had just occupied, scowling for a split second before turning all attention to the box's contents. Nimble fingers danced across the space black, velvety cloth within, unfolding them to reveal their treasure, at long last, and-

"Did I ever tell you what the name of this relic is?" He asked conversationally. The beautiful crown he withdrew from the cloth was, possibly, one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. And- "It's called the-"

The words that left his lips were apparently old enough that the Tardis couldn't (or wouldn't) translate, beautiful and completely alien to her ears, but they seemed to mean something to her, something she couldn't quite put into words. Her eyes were locked on the crown, unable to pull away, and yet somewhat entranced by his words. She didn't see his grin widen, but she could hear it when he continued on, in English once more.

"Roughly translated, it means 'diadem of the reigning guardian warrior.' Well, that's one translation, at least. It was brought here for protection when humans were taking their first steps across this world, finally free of what you lot call demons, by some very good friends of mine." He turned the crown in his hands and her eyes followed it, taking in the otherworldly, intricate beauty of the metal work, the gem stones that she was fairly certain weren't native to earth nestled in lacework of the finest metals earth had never before seen. It was almost like it called to her, as he continued to ramble. "You see, these friends of mine had a gift of foresight, and the made it specifically for a very old, very venerable, and very special line of humans; they knew this line would need it one day, to help unify this line when it was it's most broken."

She wanted to reach for it, but the Doctor pulled it deftly up beyond her reach before she could, as if he'd known she would, turning it to let the stones catch the light, shining it back across the room in a gorgeous display of colors. "One of many translations..."

"What are the other ones?" Buffy asked, eyes still latched onto the crown. Again, she could hear his grin, his excitement overwhelming in his voice when he spoke once more.

"It's also known as the 'diadem of the queen of Slayers. And it's yours, Buffy. All yours."


End file.
